Recognizing What is DBT?

Knowing some background of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) helps for understanding what is DBT. In fact, Dr. Marsha Linehan developed DBT in the late 1980s to help her patients recover from self-injury and suicidal thoughts. Important points of focus of DBT include validation, desire for change, and acceptance. For example, validation means gaining an understanding of why you act the way you do.

The “dialectical” in DBT means everything you do connects in some way. Additionally, it also means change is constant. Finally, it brings hope to recovery through finding balance.

DBT treats a variety of problems connected to substance abuse and addiction, including:

Depression and mood disorders

Bipolar disorder

PTSD and anxiety disorders

Eating disorders

Substance use disorders

You may gain DBT treatment in rehab for addiction. It also helps if you suffered trauma in your past and need trauma-focused therapy as part of your substance abuse recovery. DBT works very well for many people, even being proven to work better than other types of treatment. In fact, when rehab programs provide DBT, it usually combines with other therapies.

Views of DBT

DBT focuses on your emotional vulnerability and invalidating environments. This makes you quickly respond emotionally to triggers or events around you. Your emotional state either comes from a traumatic past or your natural state, such as from genetics.

Invalidation means you believe your feelings are bad or wrong. However, this comes from your environment, such as during childhood. People raised this way typically do not gain kindness, respect, or acceptance as they should, such as in the home.

One of the most important views of DBT is optimism. In addition, this means you gain a stronger sense of being “good.”

Most importantly, DBT gives you control over your life. You learn to emotionally engage more. Moreover, you also learn to find peace in a stable life with typical life problems, instead of widely swinging chaos. You gain a sense of being complete and connected.

All of these features and views of DBT empower you. This helps you stop your substance abuse and prevent going back to it.

Where You Find DBT Therapy for Addiction

In Asheville, North Carolina, Crest View Recovery Center provides DBT therapy in rehab treatment. You also gain a variety of other therapies and addiction treatment methods for lasting recovery. For example, programs at Crest View Recovery Center include: